January/February 2022

You could easily imagine that angels might be better at sharing the gospel than us human followers of Christ. They have experience of being in the presence of God, they have spent time worshipping the ascended Lord Jesus face to face, and they’ve seen the plan being executed since the dawn of creation. As heavenly beings, they also have the added bonus of being able to attract an immediate audience.

Yet, as Mike Mellor points out in his article, Christians are better evangelists than angels for one very specific reason – we have actually experienced salvation. Angels have never sinned, and so have no experience of what it means to be made alive, completely forgiven and reunited with our maker. An angel knows only the theory of grace, not the reality.

That you and I are more equipped for sharing the gospel with the unbeliever than the angels around God’s throne is an amazing thought. It is also such an encouragement for us to persist in this work, which is the duty and privilege of every Christian.

Sharing the gospel is not something we should just do some of the time. The very way that we live our lives ought to bear testimony to the redemption we have in Jesus, and we should always be able to answer people who ask us why we have hope (1 Pet. 3:15). I also believe we shouldn’t wait for people to ask us, but be proactive in creating opportunities to speak of Jesus wherever we can, though I must also admit I feel my own failure and inadequacy in this.

To help spur on the ongoing work of evangelism across Wales and the UK, many churches are participating in A Passion for Life this year. In the build up to Easter, churches will be holding events to share the good news of the salvation we have experienced in Jesus. That’s why we wanted to devote much of this edition to the topic of evangelism. We have articles to motivate, inspire and equip you and your church to share Jesus, whether you’re participating in A Passion for Life, or not.

There’s lots more besides, including two new series: one on the tough topic of money, and the other exploring the prototype church held up for us in Acts 2. We have some good books that we would recommend as well as some exciting news of recent events that have happened across Wales. We pray it serves to encourage you in your love and service for Christ.